Michelle Shearer is a Melbourne borne mixed media artist whose work has included painting, drawing, sculpture, digital image making and animation. Skills acquired form all of these disciplines she now applies to the process of slumping, fusing and kiln forming glass.

After many years working in the manufacturing industry sector she returned to study at the age of 30 and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree Hons. in Computer Mediated Art and Multi-media from Victoria University in 2001. She was also awarded a Master of Visual Arts from Federation University in 2016.

Working with glass started out as a family hobby in around 2000 when her father bought a small glass kiln and they all started experimenting with slumping and fusing techniques. This eventually culminated in a family move from Melbourne to Terang, South West Victoria where Michelle opened Sand and Fire warm glass studio in 2007. Glass has now become a central element in all of her artwork.

Alongside her artistic practice Michelle has maintained an ongoing involvement in the development of others in her role as independent arts tutor and educator. She has worked in vocational training as a specialist in “Integrated Process Management” in the Aerospace and allied industries and in the role as a Teacher in the TAFE system teaching Professional Development, Studio Practice and Photoshop to adult arts students.

Michelle has always been fascinated by the way things work and her analytical approach is reflected in the details explored in her creative work. She moves between the high tech gadgetry of the 21st century and the organic complexity of the natural world. Her current interest is in exploring glass and the notion of “medium as metaphor” and our very human relationships to the world around us.

Glass Artist and Owner Operator of Sand and Fire Warm Glass Studio

I keep returning to the notion of "self" - who are we, how do we come to recognise ourselves and how that recognition is shaped by our experiences.